


Track and Field

by WalkVeryBriskly (Vermithrall)



Category: Zombies Run!
Genre: Gen, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-09
Updated: 2013-06-09
Packaged: 2017-12-14 10:09:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/835720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vermithrall/pseuds/WalkVeryBriskly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set sometime in Season 1.  You (Runner 5) find out there's an entire busload of potential readymade runners, even faster than you are, if only they'll come to Abel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Out of the Gate

**Author's Note:**

> (Minor warning: This script contains one Choose Your Own Insult. A character stops himself before saying something condescending that might have been ageist or sexist or something-ist, depending on what traits your personal Runner 5 has. The game usually encourages us to run faster with various motivations like Desperation or Flattery, so I thought I might try Wounded Pride for a change.)

**SAM:**  
Raise the gates. 

_  
SFX: SOUND OF GATES RAISING_

**SAM:**  
Runner 5 ready... Covering fire if needed... Go. Runner 5, your mission today is a routine supply run. So, in other words, you're likely to end up running for your life only... say... once or twice at most. Go to Ed's fuel dump and pick up a can or two, then run through the hardware store.

_ (more conversationally) _

Hot weather we’ve been having. I’m sweltering, even with my window open. But, hey, I shouldn't complain. I’m not the one running. If you find any water bottles, remember you don't need to bring them _all_ back to base. We do have a well, you know. We can even make ice now. I was able to chill this fizzy drink Runner 7 gave me last month.

_  
SFX: Can popping. Sipping._

**SAM:**

_ (enjoying his first cold beverage in several weeks) _

Ah! Oh, sorry. I hope I'm not making you thirsty. I shouldn’t drink and transmit, right? I'll just set it on the shelf for now,

_ (straining to reach) _

right above the microphone, on top of this stack of reports and discs. There. OK, I've been tracking five zombies trailing you at a distance. Other than that-- Huh. I wonder where that lot suddenly came from? Well, it doesn't matter. You won't be going anywhere near that big long - 

__  
SFX: sound of can falling over, liquid spilling into i  
SFX:  CRACKLE of static or electrical arcing; silence  


_  
cut over in mid-sentence:  
_

**Eugene:**

_ (customary bantering tone) _

\-- let me live that down, are you, Jack?

**JACK:**

_ (laughing) _

No, never. I will forever associate this particular song with that incident. That’s why I love to play it.

_  
Cut TO MUSIC  
_


	2. Starting

**Andy:**

_ (startled) _

Whoa!

_  
SFX: Shovel, cables, cable ties bag hitting concrete floor_

**ANDY:**  
Oh, thank god. For a second I thought you were a zombie. They're not a problem when I see them coming, but indoors... especially with these narrow aisles and all the junk on the floor... It's an obstacle course! Steeplechase is my teammate  _Gabe's_ event; I'm more of a relay race guy.

_ (nervous) _

In fact, I’d like to get out of here. I feel way too vulnerable indoors. Follow me if you like.

_  
SFX: He picks up the items he dropped._

**ANDY:**

_ (excited) _

Jackpot! How did I miss this fuel can sitting out here when I came in? This is exactly what I came here looking for!

_ (earnest) _

Oh, sorry, is it yours? Don't worry. I have no intention of trying to steal it. Could I talk you into a trade? I picked up this shovel, a few power cords, and a pack of cable ties. Yeah, I know: not enough to buy a can of fuel. But we've plenty of trade goods back at the bus: Food. Towels. A crate of energy drinks. Our street clothes. See, since we're always running when we're not on the bus, we’re more comfortable in these shorts and sleeveless shirts. Today I’m sweating even in these, see? At night, it’s so warm on the bus we just put on our tracksuit bottoms and warmup jackets.

**JacK:**  
And now for the weather forecast for the Abel-Brunswick metropolitan area. According to the Abel Weather Service -

**EUGENE:**  
Although we haven’t checked with her since yesterday. She’s busy helping to dig the new latrines today.

**JACK:**  
\- this is likely to be one of the hottest 10 days on record.

**EUGENE:**  
Remember when global warming was our worst problem? Anyway, here’s a cool tune for a hot day.

_  
CUT TO MUSIC  
_


	3. Studio Apartment

**JACK:**  
I feel sorry for any runners out there in this heat.

**EUGENE:** Whereas here in the airy, temperature-controlled studios of Radio Abel...  |  **JACK:**

_ (snickers scoffingly) _  
  
---|---  
  
**JACK:**  
Why did pre-outbreak civilisation leave us with so many songs lauding the great outdoors?

**EUGENE:**  
I know, right? And none about the glories of air conditioning? Or central heating?

**JACK (addressing audience):**  
My buddy here used to be quite an accomplished indoorsman.

**EUGENE:**  
Wait, I know. Do we have the My Fair Lady sound track? Got it. OK, this song is more about what we'll miss when winter -

_  
SFX: door opening, background noises of Abel Township life_

**JACK:** Close the door! Didn't you see the sign?  |  **EUGENE:** We're on the air!   
---|---  
  
_**SAM (off STAGE):**  
Man! It's like an oven in here. Except, ovens have windows, so you can _see_. How do you guys find your equipment?_

**EUGENE:** Oh, it's you, Sam.  |  **JACK:** We could see just fine until we were blinded by the light.   
---|---  
  
__

  
**EUGENE:**  
We're on the waiting list for a light bulb. 

  
**SAM (CLOSER):**  
Listen, my microphone just... malfunctioned. 

  
**JACK:**  
Dropped it into a jar of Marmite again, did you? 

  

  
**SAM:**  
Of course not!  
Um  
... Listen, we've got a runner out there. 

  
**EUGENE:**  
Did you patch him or her into - **SAM:** Yes! 

_(into mic)_

Runner 5, I can't receive your transmissions from here, but I spotted something on the scanner: a lone blip entering the hardware store you're probably approaching about now.  |  **EUGENE:** This is exciting, everyone. For those who don't know him, Sam Yao is sort of our local equivalent of an emergency dispatcher. Or maybe more like Mission Control. We’re overhearing actual communications with a runner!   
---|---  
  
**SAM:**

_(wonderingly, impressed)_

It was moving even faster than _you_. Not a zombie, but it could be hostile. So... head back. Better avoid the hardware store.  |  **JACK:**

_(intoning in cadence of opening of 'Space Oddity')_

"Yao Control to Runner 5." “Look for protein pills and keep yourself alive.”   
---|---  
  
  
**EUGENE:**  
Nice! 

  
**SAM:**  
Sorry, guys, but I'll need to borrow one of your microphones. 

  
**JACK:**  
'One of'? Do you see a whole... collection of them here? 

  
**SAM:**  
I... always assumed you each had your own. 

  
**EUGENE:**  
We did. Until you borrowed one of them. 

  
**jACK:**  
We've been crowded shoulder to shoulder sharing our equipment ever since. If you take even that away - 

  
**SaM:**  
I’m sure your listeners can endure an hour of music uninterrupted by your sparkling byplay. 

  
**JACK:**  
Yet another excuse to shut us down! When will you people - 

  
**EUGENE:**  
Jack, come on, buddy. A runner's life could depend on it. **SAM:** A particularly valuable, productive runner.  |  **JACK:**

_(protesting)_

But...   
---|---  
  
  
**SAM:**  
We depend on runners for scavenging everything from the very equipment we're arguing over, to the very clothes you're...

_(suddenly flustered)_

uh, the very... underwear... You do know we've been getting in quite an adequate supply of shirts and trousers lately? 

  
**EUGENE:**  
Hey, you barged into our room unannounced! 

  
**SAM:**  
Your 'room'? You’re supposed to be sleeping in the men's bunkhouse with the rest of us.

_(stops to look around & wonder) _

Where do you guys find room to sleep in here, anyway? 

  
**JACK:**  
Under the table. Plenty of room between the cinder-blocks. 

  
**EUGENE:**   


_(a little too quickly)_

And _I_ sleep under the desk the equipment sits on. 

  
**SAM:**  
What, curled up in the kneehole? Tangled in the cables? 

  
**EUGENE:**  
Look, can we talk about this some other time? 

  
**JACK:**  
Like when we're not broadcasting the conversation to the entire township and half the countryside? 

  
**SAM:**  
Would you rather I tell everyone out there the truth? That you each have your own bed, with a mattress and everything? **JACK:**

_(baffled)_

What?  |  **EUGENE:**

_(slowly, dismissing ridiculous claim)_

No, we don't!   
---|---  
  
**SAM (into mic):** They've even got sheets, ladies and gents! And, and... great fluffy pillows! And their own private bath! With a curtain!  **EUGENE:** (while trying to wrest mic from Sam’s hands) Don’t believe a word he says!   
---  
  
  
**JACK:**  
You can have the microphone! Here, I'll even unplug it f--

 _  
Cut TO MUSIC in mid-sentence  
_


	4. Away Game

**ANDY:**  
Exactly. A track and field team. We were on our way to a competition when the outbreak hit. We've been trying to get back home to our families ever since, but it's been slow going. We have to scrounge for everything.

_(next sentence sheepish)_

You know: what they used to call looting. Have you any idea how fast a bus uses up a can of fuel? Most of the time the bus is just a stationary home to seventeen guys. We've become quite adept at foraging for food, at least; it's easy enough for us to stay out of reach of the zombies. By day, anyway. We have masses of tinned food, but it's like living in a locker room. Or a rat's nest, made of dirty gym socks.

_(sounds like he secretly enjoys the hardship and is clearly fond of his teammates)_

Reasonably secure, once we boarded up all the windows to keep the zombies from breaking in. But lately, now that most of us have given up hope of finding our families where we left them... or alive at all... and started feeling like a family ourselves, like a band of brothers... well, we've started talking about finding a town that will take us all in, where we can stay together but have more elbow room.

_(companionably)_

You're keeping up quite a good pace for a...  
Um, no offence. Only that some of us had a realistic hope of making the Olympic team. Guess the world has seen its last Olympiad for a while, right?

_(bitter sigh)_

So anyway, we heard there's a large settlement nearby that should have plenty of room. "New Compton "? “New Camptown ?” "New Canton"? Is that where you're from? 

_  
CUT TO MUSIC  
_


	5. Teammates

**SAM:**  
Runner 5! I got my headphones on in time to catch the last few minutes of you trying to sell your new friend on Abel. If he's the one I saw on the scanner, we could definitely use someone that fast. Um... remember those zoms that appeared out of nowhere that I said you wouldn’t need to worry about?

**ANDY:**  
There's the bus! Let me run ahead and tell them you're coming. The guys will be so excited that we might have found a place we can settle!

**SAM:**  
Wow, and I thought _you_ were fast! But the thing is, _you_ use that speed to run _away_ from zoms. You've got to get within shouting distance and warn him there are a dozen ahead!

_  
SFX: VERY FAINT, DISTANT MOANS_

_  
ANDY screams in distance (in horror more than in fear)_

**SAM:**  
Sounds like he’s worked it out on his own.

**ANDY :**

Oh god, oh god. I knew every single one of those guys... of those zombies chasing us. Well, I guess that’s pretty obvious since they're all dressed just like me. That’s not why I freaked out and ran; I only just caught sight of them when I looked back to see what you were running from. When I looked inside the bus... it's carnage in there. Bits and pieces of my... I don't want to think about it. Let's just run. Running will take my mind off it. Can you go any faster than this? Are they gaining? I don't want to look back. I can't stand to see my friends like that.

**TYLER (FROM A DISTANCE, APPROACHING):**  
Over here! Andy? Is that you? Thank god! I forgot you were out foraging too. I thought I was the only survivor.

**ANDY:**

_(barely controlling emotions)_

Tyler! I'm so glad to see you alive! I'd hug you, man, but we  
gotta  
keep running. They're behind us. How -

**TYLER:**  
I came home with half a can of fuel to find Coach gnawing on somebody's leg.

**ANDY:**  
Whose?

**TYLER:**  
How should I know? It wasn’t...

_(as in “attached anymore”)_

There were so many bodies... But half of the guys were still alive, trying to get out. Coach was blocking the aisle.

**ANDY:**  
Maybe it wasn't such a bright idea to board up the windows after all. Runner, this is my teammate Tyler.

_(throughout, Andy uses “Runner” as a respectful title, like “Sergeant” or “Officer”)_

I guess he and I are a team of two now.

**TYLER:**  
I hit Coach on the back of the head with a tyre iron. Thought I was quite the hero, helping my wounded teammates out of the bus. Didn’t stop to think what ‘wounded’ implied.

_  
SFX: FAINT, DISTANT MOANS_

**ANDY:**  
Listen, Tyler, there's a well-defended place nearby called  
Abel  
Township where running isn't just a sport, it's a respected profession. This is one of their runners. They could use us! This runner's boss is sure they'll take us in.

**SAM:**

_(pleased, jokingly)_

“Boss”! I like that!

**ANDY:**  
We've a long run ahead of us, Tyler. You'll want to take off your warmup jacket. How can you stand it in this heat?

**TYLER:**  
At this pace? I won’t even break a sweat. Wow, look at all these fields! Is this wheat?

**SAM:**  
That’s the Anderson farm. They just lost both of their farmhands to the  
zoms last week. With the harvest coming in, they’re desperate to hire someone, so hurry these strong young lads past, before they - Yikes! Look behind you! Apparently, running is good training for faster shambling.

_  
SFX: Zombie moans, closer now._

**ANDY:**  
They’re gaining! Runner, can you keep up with us?

_  
CUT TO MUSIC  
_

_  
TRIGGER ZOMBIE CHASE  
_


	6. Warmup

_  
Tyler coughing_

 

_  
Tyler’s dialogue is punctuated by occasional coughing from this point on.  
_

**ANDY:**  
Hey... You okay, mate?

**TYLER:**  
Smoker's cough.

**ANDY:**  
Smoker?! You've never smoked in your life!

**TYLER:**  
Coach would have killed me if he'd only known.  
Heh. Turns out I'm the only one he _didn't_ kill, except for you.

**ANDY:**  
How did you ever get a chance to smoke without us knowing?

**TYLER:**  
While foraging.

**ANDY:**  
Where are you hiding the cigarettes? And why do your clothes never smell of smoke?

**TYLER:**  
Oh, we all lost our sense of smell weeks ago, thank god for small - Hey! Get away!

**ANDY:**  
Come back here! Runner, would you hold my shovel?

_(shouting, with his back to us)_

It's no use trying to run, Tyler, you know I've always been faster.

_(pause, then, from ahead of us)_

Got ya!

**TYLER (AHEAD OF US):**  
Get off me!

**ANDY :**

Your shirt’s soaked with sweat under this. I told you you should take this off.

**TYLER (CLOSER):**  
Let go of my jacket!

_  
SFX: men struggling, Cloth ripping_

**ANDY (We’ve caught up):**

_(gently, with dread)_

Oh, god, Tyler. I’m so sorry.

**TYLER:**  
That? It's nothing.

**ANDY:**  
Nothing? Coach took a massive bite out of your shoulder!

**TYLER:**

_(ruefully)_

Actually, it was Gabe, while I was helping him out of the bus. His leg was a mess, and I couldn't leave him in there with all the dead bodies.

**ANDY:**  
That wouldn't have been safe, no.

**TYLER:**  
I tried to tell myself he was just moaning in pain.

**ANDY:**

_(gently and despairingly)_

Tyler... They’ll never let you in, man.

**TYLER:**

_(with false sour-grape cheer)_

You know what? I don't want to live in a guarded compound anyway. That farmhouse we passed earlier looked like a nice place to settle down. See ya!

**ANDY:**

_(alarmed)_

Wait! Damn. I'd better stop him.

**SAM:**

_(alarmed)_

They’ll hire him on sight! Unless they actually see the wound. Is his jacket still covering his shoulder?

_(reassured, no obvious irony)_

I mean, it’s not as though he’s likely to find a shirt just lying around, right?

**ANDY (Well ahead of us):**  
Try to keep up as best you can, Runner.

 

_  
CUT TO MUSIC  
_


	7. Tag Team / Finish

_  
TYLER having coughing fit in distance_

**ANDY (well ahead of us):**  
You must know this terrain very well, Runner. I completely missed that shortcut you took. Can you catch up to me and pass me the shovel?

_(closer now)_

Come on, Runner, you can go faster than that. We're losing him! I don’t dare slow down more than this.

_(right in front of us)_

That's it, a little faster, almost got it... Got it! Let go.

__  
SFX: Receding running footsteps, distant coughing suddenly cut of by distant clang of flat of shovel connecting nonfatally with skull, body hitting dirt.

**ANDY:**

_(sorrowfully)_

He's still breathing. Just head on home, Runner. I'll stay here and finish him off.

_(defensively)_

Don't look at me that way! I'll take care of it, I promise.

_(forlornly)_

I just... I just want a chance to say goodbye, before he... I knew these cable ties would be good for something.

_SFX: ZZZZIP ratcheting of 2 cable ties being pulled tight_

**ANDY:**

_(triumphant over vanquished opponent)_

There! Bound hand and foot. He's not going anywhere!

_(it sinks in)_

...ever again, is he? I don't have anything that can cut through these. I just hope he wakes up before they come, and I'm forced to finish him off. Do you know anyone who could use [grunts] a pair of really good [grunts] running shoes?

_  
SFX: Digging with shovel_

**ANDY:**

_(plaintive, small voice)_

I know it's out of fashion these days, but I'd like to bury him after I... if that’s OK?

_(almost crying)_

You said the road we were on before leads to within sight of  
Abel, right? I'll be along when I'm... done. Just... leave us, Runner. Get out of here!

_  
SFX: FADE OUT DIGGING NOISES VERY gradually_

_  
END MISSION  
_


End file.
